Chess for Zebras Thinking Differently about Black and White by GM Jonathan Rowson (MP4)

To The Ambitious Chess Player Who’s
Almost But NOT Quite Satisfied With
Their Game — And Can’t Quite Figure Out
What They’re Doing Wrong

Three-time British and Scottish Chess Champion breaks down the biggest roadblocks to chess improvement and demystifies the “secrets” to consistently climbing the ranks.

You’ve seen them.

Passionate players who have spent thousands of hours (and counting) watching instructional videos… reading books… and preparing openings. Yet even with all that effort to boost their game, they can only scratch the surface of what they’re truly capable of.

If this dilemma hits too close to home, then you’ll love what Grandmaster Jonathan Rowson has cooked up for you.

A chess pro turned applied philosopher, Rowson won the British Chess Championship (2004, 2005, 2006), Scottish Chess Championship (1999, 2001, 2004), and a host of elite open tournaments. His peak rating of 2599 placed him at number 139 in the world rankings, putting him head and shoulders above your “average” grandmaster.

But before the sensational victories, Rowson too ran head first into major chess improvement roadblocks.

Misevaluating positions game after game? Check. Playing at the mercy of his mood? Yep. He even had a phase when he tried too hard to mimic his chess heroes — with comical results.

At the time, Rowson didn’t have a hand to guide him. So he had to spend years of trial and error to pull himself out of the rut. BUT…

You don’t have to.

Originally released as a print book in 2003, Rowson’s Chess For Zebras combines his “in the trenches” experience as a player and coach, with the latest findings from applied philosophy and cognitive sciences to help you…

Break Down The Barriers
To Your Improvement And
Unleash Your Best Chess

Here’s the number one reason why most players never reach their full potential:

They obsess on picking up new knowledge.

You see, when you learn a new opening… study the finer of points of strategy… or drill technical endgames, your chess brain will digest that newfound knowledge based on your current understanding of the game. And…

If your current understanding is faulty or incomplete (often the case even for strong players), then so will your application of your new chess knowledge. It’s a vicious cycle which can rob you of the wins, rating points, and satisfaction you deserve.

That’s why, in Chess For Zebras, Rowson dedicates the first five chapters to “deprogramming” bad habits and discarding the psychological baggage, which rein in your ability to improve.

You’ll discover:

🦓 The three chess myths players of all levels try to play by… with disastrous results. (Number three will drain your competitive energy and will to win if left unchecked.)

🦓 Why the “common-sense” way of learning undermines your chess. PLUS — the kind of learning which leads to quantum leaps in playing strength and rating.

🦓 What you study is critical to your chess, right? Sorry. But a British Rapidplay Champion shoots down this misconception and shows what you must do to truly improve… regardless of the book, course or DVD you’re studying.

🦓 What is “chess folk psychology”… how it blinds your objectivity… and what you must do to keep your “vision” of the game clear and true.

And many more.

Next, Rowson shows you specific mental tools to help you stay on top of the hustle and bustle of real competitive games, including:

🦓 The critical mindset shift which will free you from the burden of playing “clear and logical” chess. It’s the same realization that added 100 points to Luke McShane’s rating, catapulting him into the world’s top 50 in just one year.

🦓 The three training methods you must add to your routine to actually level-up your playing skills. (No, reading chess books isn’t one of them.)

🦓 The art of “keeping it between the hedges” — or how to win brilliantly minus the straining and nerve-racking tactics.

🦓 Want to self-correct bad chess habits, so you can find the best moves more efficiently? Chapter one shows you the type of off-the-board thinking which helps you do just that.

🦓 The stronger the chess player, the more likely they are to ____ and vice versa. Conclusions from a 2004 study in Trinity College, Dublin.

🦓 Rowson’s three-step DIY training technique which gets you into the habit of concentrating. So when game-time comes, you’re ready to shut down distractions and hone in on the position’s essence in a snap.

That’s just to name a few. Rowson also goes in-depth into the unending struggle between White and Black — and how to play for the full point whichever side you’re on. You will discover:

🦓 The four advantages of White and how to “milk” each of them to maximize pressure against the opponent.

🦓 The true nature of the initiative… Why computers couldn’t care less about it, and why clinging onto it can exhaust your dynamic potential.

🦓 Why trying to equalize from the black side is questionable at best. PLUS, the key to neutralizing White’s first-move advantage and succeeding as Black.

The eye-opening insights in Chess For Zebras, especially the final chapter, are near-impossible to discover on your own. Stumbling upon them requires grandmaster-level experience, decades of self-analysis, and a good dose of luck. But…

That’s why you’ll love the Chessable edition of this 18-year-old gem.

Inside, you will find 10-plus hours of video, where Rowson breaks down the science and philosophy behind the training techniques and practical chess advice in the course. All in “easy to follow” club player-friendly language.

PLUS, your trusty Chessable team also added 135 trainable variations to the course — so you can revisit and review its game-changing lessons until they become a part of your game.